This Day in History | 1977 – Rock and roll ‘king’ Presley dies

Elvis Presley, whose singing and style revolutionized popular music in the 1950s, has died.

Presley, 42, was discovered slumped in a bathroom at his mansion in Memphis, Tennessee on Tuesday.

He was rushed to the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis but was pronounced dead on arrival.

The Tennessee state pathologist, Dr. Jerry Francisco, said a post mortem examination of the singer’s body had revealed he died of cardiac arrhythmia – a form of heart attack.

“The precise cause has not yet been determined for the cardiac arrhythmia,” Dr Francisco said.

“It may take several days to several weeks to determine that specific cause and in some cases it never is determined.”

The three-hour examination uncovered no sign of any other diseases or any drug abuse, Dr Francisco added.

Presley was divorced from his wife Priscilla in 1973 but it was rumoured that he had recently become engaged to Ginger Alden, 20.

She was reportedly spotted wearing a $50,000 (£20,315) diamond engagement ring from Presley.

Ms Alden and other members of his entourage were at Graceland when he collapsed.

There had been indications of Elvis Presley’s declining health for some time.

Earlier this year the singer had cancelled several performances in Louisiana and returned to Memphis suffering what his doctors termed “exhaustion”.

No arrangements have been announced yet for his funeral which is scheduled for Friday.

Courtesy BBC News

In context

Thousands gathered to file past Elvis Presley’s body which lay in state at his mansion, Graceland, the day after his death.

Although it was officially stated that he died of heart failure there has always been speculation that an overdose of cocaine and barbiturates also played a part.

Since his divorce from Priscilla in 1973 he had relied heavily on prescription drugs and was known to be a junk-food addict, gaining a considerable amount of weight.

During his lifetime he sold over 300 million albums and made 33 films.

His death has been lucrative for the “Elvis industry”.

In 2001 he came top in US magazine Forbes’ poll of “Richest Deceased Celebrities”.

It put Elvis estate’s earnings in 2000 at $35m (£23m) – $15m (£10m) of it from Graceland admission fees.